Latest Blogs

Imagine this: You're heading down the road on the way to work when all of a sudden, you see a vehicle coming toward you, head first, in your lane. What do you do? What if you move one way and the wrong-way driver moves the same way in an effort to avoid a collision? The possibilities are terrifying.

While it is true you may not hear about wrong-way collisions too often, they do occur more frequently than most people realize, not only in Florida but all across the country. Randall Spivey and the Ft. Myers personal injury attorneys at the Spivey Law Firm want you to know you have rights under the law if you are injured in an accident caused by a wrong-way driver.

Why Do Wrong-Way Accidents Happen?

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has found that approximately 350 individuals die each year in wrong-way collisions. That does not sound like a lot when you consider the overall number of accidents that occur throughout the country on a daily basis. Still, the number is a bit troubling when you consider the amount of signage and other safety provisions used on America's roadways to help prevent drivers from going the wrong way.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) compiled several statistics with respect to common trends related to wrong-way accidents. During their investigation, the agency found that older drivers (over 70 years of age or more) are highly represented as being at fault in wrong-way collisions. The agency did not speculate as to why that was the case; however, some of the more obvious reasons are because vision tends to decrease as individuals get older and they may have greater difficulty seeing signage placed along the roadway.

Another trend shows that many wrong-way incidents involve automobiles entering exit ramps, which is often caused, in part, by unclear signage or unfamiliarity with the area. Statistics also show that wrong-way accidents are more likely to happen at night due to issues such as driver fatigue, poor visibility and in some instances, driver intoxication. So, what can be done to avoid a wrong-way accident?

Preventing Wrong-Way Accidents

Using defensive driving techniques and staying alert and vigilant on the road are always effective ways to avoid collisions of any kind. Law enforcement officers and experts say one way to avoid being involved in a wrong-way accident is to drive in the right-hand lane while on a highway, when possible. This is because statistically, wrong-way drivers tend to use the left lane.

In the case of a three-lane highway, experts suggest driving in the middle lane so you will always have the option of moving either to the right or left lanes as needed. Further, as many of us learned during our driver’s education course, look as far ahead as possible while driving. If you see someone heading toward you, honk your horn and flash your lights to try to get the driver’s attention. Finally, drivers should consider pulling completely off the road and calling 911 when they observe a driver traveling in the wrong direction.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an accident involving a wrong-way driver, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. right away.